Celebrities Who Were Banned From Other Countries

Being a celebrity brings a myriad of opportunities for international travel, but it also comes with an increased level of scrutiny that can make things complicated. National governments are usually weary of stars who don’t understand their culture and may bring their own bad publicity with them.

In certain situations, a government can go so far as to ban the celebrity from their country altogether. These are a few of the famous names whose actions have run afoul of a foreign government, resulting in their bam from a certain country.

1. Chris Brown

Banned from: the U.K. and Australia

Chris Brown’s physical abuse of Rihanna led to his ban from entry to the U.K. in 2011 and from Australia in 2015.

In response to the Australia ban, Brown took to Twitter, volunteering to start a domestic abuse awareness campaign in exchange for being allowed entry. Nothing ever became of that, and both nations still have a ban against Brown.

2. Martha Stewart

Banned from: the U.K.

Martha Stewart | Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images

Martha Stewart’s 2004 felony charges (of conspiracy and obstruction of an agency proceeding) led to the denial of her U.K. visa in 2008, when she had planned to deliver a speech at the Royal Academy.

3. Brad Pitt

Banned from: China

Brad Pitt | Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images

Government officials in the People’s Republic of China banned the actor for the negative portrayal of Communist military officers and the positive depiction of the 14th Dalai Lama in Seven Years in Tibet.

4. Martin Scorsese

Banned from: China

Martin Scorsese | Andrew Cowie/AFP/Getty Images

Martin Scorsese’s Kundun gives a sympathetic account of the early life of the 14th Dalai Lama, which angered Chinese officials for whom the Lama is a rival political figure.

The nation threatened to restrict Disney’s access to their market, but banned Scorsese instead.

5. Miley Cyrus

Banned from: China and the Dominican Republic

Miley Cyrus on The Voice | NBC

Already banned for an offensive photo where she’s shown slanting her eyes, Miley Cyrus was also barred from the Dominican Republic in 2014.

The government stated that Cyrus was known to “undertake acts that go against morals and customs, which are punishable by Dominican law.”

6. Lady Gaga

Banned from: Indonesia

Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett | Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images

Lady Gaga’s revealing outfits didn”t go over well in the Muslim-majority nation of Indonesia.

The country banned the singer in 2012.

7. Snoop Dogg

Banned from: Norway

Snoop Dogg | Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Norway banned Snoop Dogg, after he got caught in July 201 with eight grams of marijuana and an undeclared $27,000 in cash.

That resulted in a two-year ban from traveling in the Scandinavian country.

8. Alec Baldwin

Banned from: Philippines

Alec Baldwin on 30 Rock | NBC

During a May 2009 appearance, the actor joked on Late Night with David Letterman that he was thinking of getting a Filipino mail-order bride, which prompted government officials to issue a statement labeling Baldwin an “undesirable alien.”

He issued a general apology for his remarks, but the nation still didn’t remove him from its blacklist.

9. 50 Cent

Banned from: Canada

50 Cent | Ethan Miller/Getty Images

In 2005, Canada banned 50 Cent from visiting, both for his previous criminal record and his songs’ alleged promotion of gun violence.

Toronto member of parliament, Dan McTeague, issued a statement at the time, stating, “I don’t think people in Toronto or any urban center need or want to hear Mr. Jackson’s message right now.”

10. The Beatles

Banned from: the Philippines

The Beatles | Fox Photos/Getty Images

During a 1966 visit to the Philippines, the band unintentionally turned down the former president’s invitation to his palace.

The Beatles allegedly didn’t receive the full details and so politely declined, sparking a political uproar that forced the musicians to flee the nation amidst angry jeers and vows never to return again.

16. Akon

Banned from: Sri Lanka

The rapper filmed a music video for the song “Sexy Chick,” which takes place at a raunchy pool party in front of a statue of Buddha.

There were violent protests regarding the video, leading to the refusal of Akon’s visa and his ban from Sri Lanka.

“[I] am a spiritual man, so I can understand why they are offended,” he said, according to The Guardian. “But violence is never the answer and I am disheartened to hear about what happened in Sri Lanka.”

17. Selena Gomez

Banned from: Russia

Selena Gomez | Kevin Winter/Getty Images

The young star had her visa denied by Russia, reportedly because of her stance on gay rights.